Knight Falls, Gold Fades
by BronzeDragonflower
Summary: Follow up to The Knight and the Golden Flower. "I'll never forgive you for this," Jeff said. "I'm doing this because you're my brother, and I love you," Matt answered as he headed for the arena. "You'll see that someday."
1. Chapter 1

Knight Falls, Gold Fades

Chapter 1

The next day was strange for Jeff. He'd slept badly the night before. Somehow, his bed had just seemed too cold and lonely, and he'd found he missed the little sounds of Ana shifting in her sleep. Instead the silence had seemed to echo around him until it was deafening. He'd lain there in an unfamiliar Indianapolis hotel room most of the night, and for the first time in his life, Jeff seriously considered packing up and going home. This was just no way to live, alone all the time, never home, always in unfamiliar surroundings. He had a contract to honor, though, and ducking out wasn't really an option.

Jeff arrived at the arena expecting a mixed reaction from the people at work, considering he had purposefully attacked two veterans on the roster, though Test and Albert weren't the most popular guys in the locker room. He usually tried to stay laid back behind the scenes. He stayed out of other people's business and tried not to make enemies for the most part. He left the politics and the jockeying for position to his brother. Jeff was just happy to wrestle, and he preferred to save his energy for the ring.

Jeff was patted on the shoulder by three different Divas as he made his way to the locker room.

"What's with everyone?" Jeff asked when he found his brother.

Matt looked embarrassed. "Uh, I guess we're not as good at whispering as we thought. A few of the guys overheard what you did for that girl, and then the story got around about what happened with Test and Albert. People put two and two together, so congratulations, you are now the hero of all the women on the roster, crew, and home office," he explained. "Try not to let them wear you out."

Jeff felt his heart sink. "Home office knows about this?"

"Oh yeah," Matt said. "Vince wants to see you in his office. I don't know if he's mad about Test and Albert. Test is fine, but Albert's gonna need time off to heal. You really jacked up his face, hitting him in his piercings like that."

"Aw, man," Jeff groaned. "Well, I better go face the music." He stood up and slapped his legs. "Keeping Vince waiting ain't gonna make things any better." And with that, he headed for the office.

Vince got to him after only a few minutes of waiting, but it was long enough to set his stomach churning.

"Sit down," Vince ordered. Jeff took a seat across the desk. "I hear you're starting fights in my locker room," he stated baldly.

Jeff winced and nodded. "They snatched a friend of mine. Scared her," he said.

"You put one of my wrestlers on the injured list for _scaring_ your friend?" Vince asked.

Jeff straightened up. "Yes, sir, and I'd do it again," he said sternly.

To his surprise, Vince chuckled. "Good for you, kid. This is a tough business, and it's no good to let people think you're weak. Now don't let it happen again." Jeff just sat there feeling shocked. "Tell me about this girl of yours. Is there any truth to the rumor going around that you rescued her?"

"Well I was getting a burger after the show, and I saw four punks drag her into an alley. There was no time to call the police, so I went after them. They were trying to, ah, you know, and I took them down before they got too far," Jeff explained. "That's why I went after Test and Albert the way I did. For them to snatch her up the day after she went through that…I don't care if they were just joking or not. They nearly scared her to death. You don't joke like that with people you don't know."

"Hmm, I'll be having a word with them. I can't have them leaving the company open to lawsuits," Vince said.

"Well, I took it out of their hides, and they've paid uh, restitution, to Ana," Jeff said.

"Nevertheless," Vince said. "Well, this story of yours is really quite dramatic. I'm thinking it will make a very good storyline with, let's see, how about Molly Holly?"

"Ah, no, sir," Jeff replied.

"Not Molly? Oh I see, you're a leg man. You want Stacy Kiebler," Vince said.

"No, sir," Jeff said again. "What I mean is no, I can't do this story line. You can give it to someone else, but I can't use Ana like that."

"You do realize you're passing up a big opportunity here, son. Do you want to think about this?" Vince asked.

"There's nothing to think about, sir," Jeff replied, and Vince let him go after that.

Jeff left the office feeling confused. The meeting was definitely not what he expected. He'd been anticipating a lecture, a suspension even. Not a pat on the back and a career advancement opportunity. It was a strange business he was in.

Matt was waiting for him, trying to act casual like he had some business near Vince's office. "How'd it go?" Matt asked anxiously.

Jeff shook his head. "Not here." They went and found an unoccupied spot on a stairwell.

"Well, what is it? Are you suspended? For how long? Oh, God. Will you be back by Summerslam?" Matt asked. "You can't miss the first ever TLC match. It's going to make our career."

"No, I'm not suspended," Jeff said, still shaking his head in confusion. "I admitted that I attacked Test and Albert, and Vince said 'good for you.' Then he offered me a storyline!"

"Wha—?!" Matt exclaimed. "Wow, man, that's great!"

"No man, I turned it down," Jeff said.

"You what?! Jeff, you can't do that. A storyline is the next step. This could do so much for you. For us, Jeff," Matt argued.

"I can't, man. He wanted me to act out Ana's story with Molly Holly or Stacy Kiebler. I can't do that to Ana," Jeff explained.

"Jeff, you don't even know this girl. You helped her out, and that's great, now let her help you out," Matt reasoned. "I'm sure if you asked her, she'd want to help you."

"She probably would," Jeff answered, "but we'd all know it's wrong. You weren't there, Matt. You don't just take the worst day of someone's life and act it out for fun, for entertainment!"

"I still think you're making a mistake," Matt said. "You can't afford to pass up opportunities in this business."

"You think I don't care about my career, but I do, Matt. I'm just making sure I can look myself in the mirror," Jeff said. He reassured his brother, "Look, we got a good gimmick, we're over with the fans, we got this tables, ladders, and chairs match coming up. Like you said, it's gonna make us. We don't need to sell our friends down the river."

Matt nodded, unconvinced.


	2. Chapter 2

Knight Falls, Gold Fades

Chapter 2

Jeff lay in bed, unable to move. It was one of those days when his brother, Matt, was going to have to scrape him out of bed, because he was certainly in no shape to do it himself. These days had become more common since the overwhelming success of their TLC match at Summerslam. That success had been a double edged sword. It seemed like the management wanted a ladder match two, three times a week these days, never mind what it was doing to his body. Jeff never thought that he would feel like an invalid when he was only half way through his second decade.

After a long time, Jeff heard the sound he'd been waiting for. The outer door opened and Matt's face swam into view.

"How you doin' there, little buddy?" Matt asked softly.

"Oh you know. Same ol', same ol'," Jeff replied.

Matt helped him sit up, and propped him up against the headboard. He grabbed Jeff's bottle of Vicodin, and instead of tossing it to him like usual, Matt held it up and shook it.

"You can't keep doing this, Jeff," Matt said flatly. "You're killing yourself."

"I don't see that I've got a choice, man. I just do what I'm told. You're the one with pull backstage. Why don't you get them to slow down with the ladder matches?" Jeff asked.

Matt looked stung. "Don't you think I've tried? As long as you keep showing up to work like nothing's wrong, they think you can handle it. They don't see any reason why they shouldn't give the crowd what it wants," Matt responded. "You need to tell them. You need to show them how banged up you are. You _need_ to slow down with the pain pills. I know you've been taking extras. You don't fool me."

Jeff got angry. "I only take as many as I need. I'm not getting high," he said.

"Yeah, and the number you need just keeps getting higher," Matt said. "I'm not going to watch you kill yourself like this. If you won't show them what they're doing to you, I'm going to show them myself," he threatened.

"Fine, you want me on the injured list, I'll go on the injured list tomorrow. Now give me my pain pills," Jeff demanded.

"No," Matt refused. He grabbed Jeff and hauled him into the bathroom. Then, to Jeff's humiliation, he took Jeff's clothes and bathed him like he was a little kid. Jeff was so angry, he was shaking with rage, but he couldn't do anything about it. When he was done, Matt dressed him and brushed his hair and teeth, all the while ignoring the helpless tears of betrayal that coursed down Jeff's face. Matt just handed him a tissue and tied Jeff's shoes.

Matt picked Jeff up and put him in his car.

"I'll never forgive you for this," Jeff said.

"I'm doing this because you're my brother, and I love you," Matt answered as he headed for the arena. "You'll see that someday."

Traffic was unmercifully light, and they arrived at the arena quickly. Jeff wanted to cover his face in embarrassment when Matt carried him in, but instead he settled for glaring at anyone who looked his way as they made their way to Medical. Matt just marched straight ahead with determination, looking neither left nor right. Jeff could see people whispering among themselves and he could just imagine what they were saying about him. People already assumed he was on drugs just because of his style and creativity.

Matt barged into Medical and plopped Jeff down on a bed. "You need to look at him," Matt demanded. "He can't wrestle like this anymore. Hell, he can't even walk."

The doctor asked Jeff to undress, but he refused.

"Don't make me do it," Matt threatened. They glared at each other for a long time, fighting a battle of wills before Jeff relented.

"Fine," he said, moving to take off his shirt. With his injuries, he didn't get far. In the end, Matt had to help him anyways, revealing dark bruises along his ribs and battered set of legs. One look at Jeff and the doctor ordered a complete set of x-rays. They revealed hairline bone fractures in Jeff's collarbone, multiple ribs, shin, heel, and the last two fingers of his right hand. There were none so bad that he needed a cast, but they would take a couple of weeks to heal.

"Set the record straight for me. Don't let them turn me into some drug addicted emo cutter," Jeff told Matt as he was rolled out in a wheelchair. "You owe me that at least." Jeff was still angry at being forced out by his brother, but he found that he was relieved to finally have some breathing space. It was too long since he'd been home.

* * *

Jeff felt resistance when he pushed open his front door. He peered around the door and saw a small mountain of mail piled up below the mail slot.

"Welcome home," he told himself. He pushed the door open the rest of the way, crumpling his mail behind the door. Jeff limped into the house, leaning heavily on his cane. It made him feel like an old man, though, and he hated it. He was getting by on aspirin these days, since he didn't need to put on a show. Well, really, he was getting by on aspirin since Matt took his damn pills away. Jackass acted like he hadn't been there when the doctor was counting his broken bones.

Over the next three days, Jeff slept a lot, puttered around the house, and finally turned his attention to the heaping pile of mail. Ads went straight to the round file, bills went into a small pile, and fan mail into a larger pile. Most fan mail went to the mail room at home office, but some enterprising fans looked his home address up sometimes. He and his brother had made no secret of their home town, and even the name of their street. It was no great leap to find them from there.

Jeff idly flipped through the fan mail. Honestly, he was still feeling pretty disgruntled about being forced home right when their careers were really taking off. With his body aching all over, he could use a little boost to his ego about now. Jeff opened the first letter at random.

_Hey Jeff Hardy,_

_ You suck!—_

Jeff stopped reading in disgust. Obviously he'd picked the wrong letter to cheer him up. He started to shove the whole pile of letters into a bag, when a familiar name caught his attention. Karaya.

He hadn't really thought he'd hear from her again. Jeff had checked up on Ana a few times since he'd last seen her, and she seemed to be doing well. They hadn't had much to talk about, though, as their lives didn't really have much in common. Jeff took a better look at the envelope. He saw with disappointment what it didn't say Anacaona, it said Anani. It wasn't from someone he knew after all. Still, how many Karaya families could there be? Jeff carefully tore open the envelope.

_Dear Mr. Hardy,_

_I hope you do not find me too bold in writing to you, but I do not know where else to turn. My sister went on a trip a few months ago, and when she returned, she was different. Anacaona has always been very special, but something has happened to dim her light. She will not tell me, though I've asked her many times. She tells me that I was not there. I will not understand. _

_The only time she seems herself again is when she sees you on television. She has told me that she met you, and I see that you wear her artwork. Your support of her work has done wonders for her business, and she has finally saved up enough money to buy a small motor home, for it has always been her dream to travel as she works. _

_She has bought her motor home, but it just sits in the driveway. Anacaona does not leave the house much anymore. It seems that the longer she stays in, the more she fears going out. I fear that if this goes on much longer, she will become worse._

_It would mean much if you would speak to her, for I would see Anacaona shine again. _

_ I pray that this letter finds you in good health,_

_Anani Karaya_

Jeff set the letter down with a cold feeling in the pit of his stomach. His first instinct was to jump in his truck and drive to the address on the letter, but that was just not practical with his physical state. Matt was always getting on him to think things through and be more responsible. Just thinking about Matt put a sour look on his face. Screw Matt. Matt had pushed him around enough for one week. He wasn't going to let Matt push him around in his head as well.

Jeff stood up with resolution, ignoring his protesting body. Hell, he hadn't even unpacked his bags. He might as well hop in his truck and go. Jeff programmed his GPS, and did just that.


	3. Chapter 3

Knight Falls, Gold Fades

Chapter 3

By the time Jeff crossed the state line, he was starting to regret his impulsiveness, but that only made him more determined to keep driving. A few hours later when he crossed the next state line, he was in serious pain. By the time he made it to Anacaona's town five hours later, he was in misery.

Jeff parked his truck in the street and looked at the modest brick house. There was a small motor home parked in the driveway in front of Ana's Jeep, the kind with a pickup truck style cab with a sleeping area lofted over top. He could picture Ana exploring the country in it.

The front door opened suddenly and a girl who could only be Ana's sister Anani ran barefoot to Ana's Jeep, rifled around in the back seat for a moment, then ran back into the house. He suddenly felt foolish for just showing up out of the blue. He'd only spent two days with Ana, and that was months ago. Now he was just going to knock on the door? That was assuming he could even walk that far with the pain he was in at this point. It would look real great for him to collapse on their doorstep.

But, still. Jeff looked at Anani's letter. Ana's own sister had been desperate enough to write to a complete stranger. The thought of Ana becoming a shut in over what had happened galvanized him. He wasn't going to let a little thing like pain stop him.

Jeff opened the door of his truck and swung his legs out. He carefully got to his feet, clutching the door frame until the pain in his heel and opposite shin became manageable. Then he grabbed his cane and took an experimental step. So far, so good. Jeff shut the door and made his way slowly up the sidewalk, alternating between stabbing pain in his heel and throbbing pain in his shin with every step. Then he knocked on the door before he could lose his nerve.

Anani's eyes widened when she answered the door. She looked behind herself, then ducked out the door, joining Jeff on the porch.

"It is really you! I did not think you would come in person," Anani said, flustered.

"I'm Jeff Hardy," he said, holding out his hand. Anani shook it with care for his splinted fingers.

"I'm Anani, Anacaona's sister. You can call me Ani," she introduced herself. She gestured for him to have a seat on a patio chair. "I did not think you would answer after all this time. I thought perhaps I had been wrong about your friendship, and that Anacaona had only met you in passing."

"I just got your letter this morning. I don't get home much. I'm only off work now because I'm on the injured list," Jeff explained, gesturing toward his cane.

"You drove all the way here from North Carolina after reading my letter?" she asked in shock.

"Ana is very special to me," Jeff said. "Tell me, how is she?"

Ani's shoulders drooped. "She no longer leaves the house. Some days, she doesn't even leave her room. Her business thrives, but I think she creates nothing new. Please, tell me, what has done this to my sister?"

Jeff hesitated. "It's really not my story to tell."

Ani looked disappointed, but she understood. She nodded and rose, showing Jeff into the house. She led him up the stairs and down a hallway to a closed door. She knocked softly.

"Anacaona, you have a visitor," she said through the door. There was a shuffling sound, then Ana's voice.

"I do not wish for company today," Ana said wearily through the door. "Tell them to come back another day. I will see them then."

"He has driven for ten hours to see you and he does not look well," Ani estimated. "Will you not let him in before he collapses at your door?"

Jeff was embarrassed that his condition had been so obvious, but going up the steps had been especially difficult for him and he feared that Anani's prediction was all too true if he didn't find a seat soon. The door remained shut and Ana did not answer.

"She will not see you today. I am sorry, Mr. Hardy," Anani said loudly for Ana's benefit.

The door swung open and Ana stood there, looking much like when she'd left him.

"Ana," he said, reaching out. She was instantly in his arms. He held her tightly, though the pain in his cracked ribs was excruciating. Jeff felt his knees buckle and heard his cane clatter to the ground before the world around him turned grey.

* * *

Jeff first became aware of a hand gently stroking his forehead, and he dreamed he was in a sunlit clearing again, where sun and earth had once warmed his body while wind and woman had soothed his soul. His eyes opened and he found himself lying on a bed in the room he had glimpsed behind Ana. She was there, looking down at him as if she could still not believe her eyes. He grasped her hand.

"What has happened to you?" she asked with distress as she touched his splinted fingers lightly. "I watched your fight less than a week ago, and you were fine then."

Jeff shook his head. "I've been depending on pain killers to get me through work. I've been going into the ring with about nine fractured bones. Without painkillers, I can't even stand," he said. He lifted his shirt, displaying the dark bruises that spread past the bandages on his ribs. "My ribs and collarbone," he said, pointing to each injury, "this shin, this heel, and these fingers, all broken."

"How could this happen? How could you perform this way?" she asked.

"They just kept scheduling ladder match after ladder match," he replied bitterly. "Matt told them it was too much, but they said we were doing fine."

Ana stroked his hair. "My poor friend. I will take care of you," she said.

Jeff's eyes stung. He had come to take care of her. Still, it gave him an excuse to hang around, and he had to admit he was in pretty bad shape. It would give him time to help her slowly, hopefully without pushing her too much. He knew how much he'd hated being pushed by his brother. He had the feeling that getting Ana outside again was going to be as hard as prying the pain killers out of his hand had been. He didn't want her to hate him.

Perhaps he could use his condition to draw her out slowly. He cleared his throat. "Please, do you have water?" he asked.

Ana froze for a second, then rose to get it. He saw her hesitate at her bedroom door, then she turned to look at him. He concentrated on looking pathetic. He saw her gather herself, then step through the door and she was gone. Jeff smiled to himself. She'd gone through the first hurtle. He'd just have to remember to ask for things every so often, so she'd get used to leaving her room.

Jeff looked around. In one half of the long room, there was a full size bed, nightstand, dresser, and small television. The bedspread was covered in a garden of ribbon embroidery. Tropical birds, butterflies, frogs, and lizard were interspersed among palm trees, flowers, grasses, and fountains. It was really quite incredible work. Jeff carefully moved his shoes off the bed. He'd hate to be the one to damage it.

The other half of the room was hidden behind tall bookshelves, which were filled with mostly fiction. The ceiling was covered with a net of white Christmas lights. The yellow walls made the most of the fading light, hanging on to daylight until the last possible moment.

Ana returned and flipped a light switch, turning on the Christmas lights. They gave the room a cozy glow that made him feel like the rest of the world had dropped away. She had water and sandwiches for the both of them.

They caught up as they ate and Ana thanked him for wearing her dragon on the show.

"Well, I really love it. Besides, it's beautiful and different and it deserves to be seen," Jeff said, gazing at her and speaking of something else entirely. "I hoped a bit of visibility would help you out."

Ana nodded. "It was overwhelming at first, when the orders started pouring in, but it has been good to keep busy," she said.

"Hey, I saw you got your camper. I'm so glad you can live your dream now. When do you plan on hitting the road?" Jeff asked, watching her closely.

Ana looked away. "Well, I have much to do around here," she said.

Jeff just accepted her excuse for now. It was definitely too soon to push the subject. For now, he just settled in to sleep, and when Ana started to excuse herself to sleep on the couch downstairs, he wordlessly held open the covers and patted the bed next to him. Ana joined him without hesitation and carefully curled up against him, and they both had the best night's sleep they'd had in months.


	4. Chapter 4

Knight Falls, Gold Fades

Chapter 4

Jeff awoke with his customary groan. Ana was snoring softly as she lay tucked painfully against his injured ribs. He reached over to shake her gently, his collarbone protesting every move.

"Hmm?" she said, cracking an eye open. Her eyes widened, then she dropped her gaze and scrambled to move away, the bed creaking as she pushed painfully against Jeff's ribs to lever herself up. Jeff groaned loudly.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Ana whispered, the bed creaking as she kneeled next to him, her hands fluttering frantically above his chest, wanting to somehow fix the pain she'd caused. Jeff could only make inarticulate sounds of pain in answer. Eventually, Jeff was able to reassure her that he'd be alright.

"Is there anything I can do to help?" she asked.

"Hot water helps," Jeff replied, looking away in embarrassment. "If I soak for a while, and take a whole lot of aspirin, I'll be halfway functional."

Ana helped him sit up, and between his cane and leaning on her shoulder for support, Jeff was able to slowly hobble to the bathroom. She helped lower him to sit on the toilet lid, then went about running a very hot bath.

Jeff had taken to wearing button-up shirts since lifting his arms had become a problem. He was able to remove it himself, then with another groan, he began tugging off the wraps binding his ribs.

"I'm sorry," Jeff said. "I didn't mean to come here and be a burden. I can go stay at a hotel. You don't have to do this."

Ana smiled at him. "I am glad you came. Remember, I volunteered to help you. I would be very sad if you left. Can you stand?" she asked, helping him to his feet. Before he knew what was happening, she had unzipped his pants and dropped them around his ankles.

"Hey!" he exclaimed.

Ana just laughed. "Step out," she ordered, grasping his elbows to help him balance. Jeff dutifully stepped out of his pants, his face flushing. He moved to sit back down, but Ana squeezed her eyes shut, swooped down, and swiped off his underwear. That startled a shriek out of him.

"I've done this before," Ana said, sitting him back down. "My mother was injured in a car accident before she passed away, and she required such help. She too found it embarrassing at first, but you become used to it."

Jeff tried to concentrate on what Ana was saying, but he was too busy trying not to faint from all the blood rushing to his face. He sat quietly hiding his privates behind cupped hands while Ana finished running the bath.

Ana moved to take his arm and help him up and into the tub, but Jeff shook his head. "I don't have any free hands," he protested.

Ana laughed. "I will not peek at your man parts," she said.

Jeff unbent enough to put one arm over her shoulders and carefully step into the tub. As he turned to sit down, Jeff caught Ana looking at his backside with raised eyebrows and a look of appreciation.

"Hey, you said you wouldn't look!" he said.

Ana held up one finger. "I said I would not peek at your _man_ parts," she said with exaggerated dignity. "I made no other promises."

Jeff grumbled halfheartedly at that. The heat was seeping into his bones, bringing much needed relief.

"Oh, man," he groaned. "This is heaven."

Ana washed his hair and combed it back. "Your injuries seem very bad. The doctor did not put a cast on any of them?" she asked, concerned.

"Well, I got my cane and my finger splints, and I got my ribs taped," Jeff replied.

"Yes, but what of your shoulder and legs?" she persisted. "How are they to heal properly without support?"

Jeff looked at her and knew she wasn't going to let it go. "Well, he gave me a sling and one of those Velcro gel splints for my shin, but I don't need them, really. He wanted to put my heel in a big ol' boot too, but I flat out refused. He was gonna have me looking like a train wreck!"

Ana gave him a stern look. "Where is this sling and splint of yours?" she asked.

Jeff sighed. "They're in my truck," he said with resignation. Ana rose to fetch them, and Jeff told himself that at least she'd have to step out the front door to get them. Small steps. If wearing the wretched things was the price he had to pay to get her to take that step, well, he guessed he'd just have to pay it.

By the time she returned looking slightly shaken and breathless, the water had cooled. Ana helped him out and wrapped him in a towel.

"I need to shower," she said. "You can wait in my room. I will help you dress when I am done." She guided him back to her room, but the water had done the trick and this time he was able to move with much less help.

Jeff sat for a moment on the bed until he heard the shower running. Then he dragged his bag over and pulled out some clothes. If he could do it himself, he'd rather spare himself the embarrassment of having Ana dress him. It's not that he'd never been with a woman before, it's just that Ana was different, special. She's not the kind of girl that he'd find flashing him outside and arena, or throwing herself at him in a bar.

Jeff pulled some pants on as he sat on the bed. He was still zipping them up when the door burst open.

"Is this why you came here?" Anani demanded, furious. "Do not think I did not hear the noises you made, all the groaning and bed squeaking," she said accusingly. "I did not contact you so that you could come here and— and— despoil my sister! I asked you for _help_!" She threw her shoe at him.

Jeff held out his hands to block it from hitting him in the face. "No, no! You got it all wrong! Please don't throw anything else at me," he said. "That's not why I came here. I didn't— We didn't— Argh! Just look!" he said, flipping on the bedside lamp. Jeff showed her the bruises covering his chest, which had lightened from black to some lovely shades of purple and green.

"Even if that _had_ been my intention, I couldn't ah, perform with four broken ribs. My body's broken to bits right now," Jeff explained.

Anani still looked suspicious, but she lowered her other shoe.

"Look, I can see that Ana's not alright right now, but she's offered to take care of me while I'm an invalid," he said, gesturing bitterly at his chest. "It occurred to me that caring for someone might give her the push she needs to get out. I managed to get her out of her room yesterday, and today, she's already gone as far as the front curb. When's the last time you managed to get her that far?"

All the fight seemed to drain out of her at his words. "Alright, but I will be watching you," she said.

Ana came in just then, and gave them both odd looks. "Anani," she greeted, nodding her head.

Jeff swiftly tossed Anani her shoe when Ana wasn't looking. Anani slipped it back on her foot with a look of innocence. Ana spun around.

"Did something white just fly by?" Ana asked in confusion.

"I think there was a moth," Anani said. Ana still looked suspicious, but she let it go.

Ana wrapped Jeff's ribs as Anani looked on. Embarrassed, Jeff tried to hold back his sounds of pain as Ana wrapped his ribs, but he was only mildly successful. Ana then lifted his pant leg and fastened the splint around his shin.

"Hey, that actually feels better," Jeff said, looking at his leg in surprise. "I think I had it upside-down before." Ana just shook her head and held up the sling. "That too?" he whined. "Never mind, you don't even have to say it. Bring on the sling."

Jeff sighed, looking down at himself. When he looked up, Anani had gone.

"It is not that bad," Ana told him. "Come downstairs and we will have breakfast."


	5. Chapter 5

Knight Falls, Gold Fades

Chapter 5

Jeff tapped his fingers against the keyboard in frustration. Ana was making excuses, and he knew it. He just couldn't figure out how to get her out of the house without calling her on it. After his initial successes getting her out, his master plan had stalled out. Every time he suggested they go out, she was suddenly too busy working. He didn't care where they went, grocery store, errands; he'd even jump at a trip to the post office at this point. He'd watched her work. She had a decent workload, running her small jewelry business by herself, but it wasn't so heavy a load that she was chained to her desk all day.

If only he could think of something, something to motivate her. They'd shared some of the hardest times in their lives together. He knew her so well, and yet he didn't know her at all. He didn't know her likes and dislikes; the common everyday things.

After a week and a half of rest, he was in much better shape than when he'd first arrived. He was used to traveling five days a week, and quite frankly, he was restless. If he didn't get a change of scenery soon, he was going to start channeling Jack Nicholson in _The Shining_. Heeeeere's Johnny!

Jeff continued to stare at the screen of his laptop without really looking at it, lost in thought. There was a brief rustle of paper and something white fluttered down into his lap. Jeff looked up in surprise, but Anani just continued past the back of the couch and into the kitchen with her patented innocent expression on her face. Jeff gave a quick glance at Ana, who was busy at her desk in the next room, then quietly unfolded the paper. It was a flyer for a Sci-fi/Anime convention in Columbus. A note penciled at the bottom read, _Anacaona rents a table every year. It is one of her favorite events_.

Jeff looked up in surprise, but Anani just looked at him blandly. She had somehow already returned from the kitchen with a glass of juice and sat back down without him noticing. It was downright unnerving. Ana had told him that her people were from the island of Borinquen in the Caribbean Sea, but Jeff secretly thought Anani must be from Japan because she sure was a ninja.

Still, Jeff wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth. He looked up the convention's web page and directions.

"Hey Ana!" he called.

"Hmm?" she responded, turning around.

"Check this out," he said, flipping his computer around. "There's a convention coming up and it's only, like, three hours from here. You're stuff looks like it'd fit right in, you know, in a standing out because of its quality and awesomeness kind of way." Jeff winced at his choice of words.

Ana hesitated, clearly torn. "I have done well at that convention in the past…"

"Cool, we should go," Jeff said. "No offense, but I've been dying for a change of scenery. Nothing says change of scenery like a road trip."

"I will give them a call," she relented, "but don't get your hopes up too high. These events usually have to be booked months in advance."

Ana dialed the number from the web site, clearly expecting to be shot down, but to her consternation, they had had last minute cancellations and were only too happy to have her.

"This is going to be great," Jeff said, running his hands together.

From the look on Ana's face, she clearly didn't agree.

* * *

A few short weeks later, Jeff and Ana rose before dawn and dressed in their fancier gear. Jeff's black pants were so heavy with chains they would have fallen to the ground if it weren't for his pierced and grommeted belt. Ana's charcoal grey canvas gown was similarly weighed down by studded belts in purple, aqua, and lime. Thick-soled combat boots brought Ana a few inches closer to Jeff's height.

Jeff wore his peridot dragon and Ana wore her favorite indigo dragon, along with a small flock of tiny dragons entwined in her black and emerald hair.

"Hmmm, you need something up top," Ana commented, looking him over. She plucked a tiny dragon out of her hair and placed it in his.

"Nah, too girly," Jeff said, squinting one eye shut and regarding himself in the mirror. He put the dragon back in her hair. "Let me borrow your makeup."

"Because makeup isn't girly at all," she replied, handing him her bag.

"You'll see," Jeff laughed. He sorted through her bag until he came upon her colored eyeliners. "Aha! Now we're talking." With a few strokes, Jeff had sketched a colorful design around his eyes. A few moments later he has colored in some parts and left others in outline. He nodded in satisfaction. "Now we're ready," he said with satisfaction.

Ana helped Jeff limp down the front steps and into the passenger seat of her camper. Mornings were still hard on him, but they were getting better. He sat back and closed his eyes, giving Ana a bit of privacy while she gathered her nerve. After a minute, Jeff heard the truck start. They sat in the driveway for a few minutes, and Jeff pretended to fall asleep while she argued silently with herself. Eventually the camper lurched into motion, and Jeff fell asleep for real.

* * *

Jeff was jarred awake by the ringing of his cell phone. He answered with a groan. He was really tired of hearing himself groan.

"Yeah?"

"Where are you?" Matt demanded.

"Gee, Matt. How am I doing? How nice of you to ask!" Jeff said with exaggerated politeness.

"I just got home and Pa tells me he hasn't seen or heard from you in weeks," Matt said.

"I'm staying with a friend," Jeff replied, glancing at Ana as she drove.

"Don't lie to me, Jeff. I already checked with Shannon, Yuk, and the rest of the guys. They haven't seen you either."

"So you're checking up on me behind my back now?" Jeff asked angrily. "Those are your friends, not mine.

"Yeah, I'm checking up on you," Matt answered. "Someone's gotta keep an eye on you."

"Why, 'cause you think I'm on drugs too?" Jeff asked bitterly.

"I _saw_ you, Jeff, eating Vicodin like they were candy, so don't go playing innocent with me."

"Damn it, you should know me better than that. Stop letting those old men at work tell you that only drug addicts color their hair. It's ridiculous. Open your eyes! The only time I took extras were to make it through work. I don't take painkillers for fun." Jeff's voice rose as he spoke. "Did you forget how my damn body was so stiff in the morning, I couldn't move if the building was on fire? My bones are fuckin' _broken_, Matt, and I'm in pain. Did you somehow forget that?" He realized his voice had risen to nearly a shout.

Jeff closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. "You know, some day you are going to get injured and I'm going to make sure I'm there to take away your pain pills and call you a drug addict," he said quietly.

"Okay, Jeff, okay. I'm sorry," Matt said. "I know you bent over and took a huge one for the team. It's just, I came home and no one knew where you were, and I knew how badly you were hurt more than anyone."

"Well, next time just call me," Jeff said, exasperated. "See how fast you found me when you quit dancing around and called me direct?"

"I still ain't found you," Matt pointed out. "You still haven't told me where you are."

"Uh, I'm in Ohio," Jeff said, glancing at Ana. The poor girl was resolutely watching the road and trying to pretend she hadn't just overheard a private argument.

"Ohio? Jeff, we don't have any friends in Ohio," Matt said, confused.

"_You_ don't have any friends in Ohio," Jeff corrected. "_I_ happen to have a very good friend in Ohio, and she's been kind enough to put me up these last few weeks."

"She?" Matt asked suspiciously. "Jeff, you are in no condition to be living it up with some groupie."

"Don't you start with that again. I'm not 'living it up,' I'm resting and trying to heal up so I don't mess up our careers." Jeff looked at Ana again. "And it's not some groupie. Ana's been taking care of me."

"Ana?" Matt asked, obviously still not getting it. That's what happens when you got women throwing themselves at you in every city. They just kind of blend together.

"Yeah, man," Jeff said. "_Ana_, Ana."

"Oh," Matt caught his breath. "_Ana_, Ana. I didn't realize you two kept in touch. I thought you were a little—"

"Matt!" Jeff broke in. "She can hear every word you say."

"Hi, Ana!" Matt shouted, blasting Jeff's eardrum.

"Hello, Matt," Ana replied at a much more reasonable volume.

"You taking good care of my baby brother?" Matt asked in a smarmy voice. Jeff could tell he was holding back laughter.

"Yes," Ana answered stiffly but sincerely. "I assure you that he has not had so much as an aspirin since he arrived at my doorstep, though his pain was great." Jeff knew she was still uncomfortable with his brother. Her speech had loosened up over the weeks he'd spent with her as she'd gotten a better feel for how English was spoken outside of textbooks, but now her speech had fallen back into old patterns.

"So he just showed up at your doorstep, eh?" Matt asked, latching onto the one insignificant detail she'd spoken. What else are brothers for? Jeff didn't like where this conversation was going.

"Okay! That's enough," Jeff intervened. "Say goodbye, Matt."

"Goodbye, Matt," Ana repeated dutifully. It didn't really matter though, since Jeff had already ended the call.

"What did he—" Ana started to ask, but there was no way Jeff wanted to get into that particular conversation just now.

"Oh, look," Jeff interrupted, "we're here!"

"But Jeff—" Ana tried again.

"Ooh, a parking spot!" he interrupted again.

Ana gave him a look, but she let it slide. She had bigger things to worry about.


	6. Chapter 6

_Author's note: This was originally part of Chapter 5, but I realized that Chapter 5 was about twice as long as the rest of the chapters so I decided to split it in half. Sorry if anyone's disappointed._

Knight Falls, Gold Fades

Chapter 6

A few minutes later, Jeff was seated in the back across from Ana, holding her hands.

"You can do this," he said, jiggling her hands.

Ana shook her head with her eyes closed and her lips pressed tightly together.

"I'll be with you the whole time. I know you're afraid. I've known the whole time, but I'm here to help you," Jeff reassured her.

"You knew the whole time? But how?" she asked.

"Your sister wrote to me," Jeff answered.

"At first, I was so glad to see you I didn't think about it, but later I had wondered why you showed up out of the blue," Ana said bitterly. "I should have known she was plotting behind my back. She's always sneaking around, doing something, but I never expected this from you."

"What? No, Ana, you've got it all wrong," Jeff protested, but Ana was already on her feet, roughly loading boxes on a dolly.

"I don't need to be manipulated," she said, snapping bungee cords over the load.

Jeff stood, hold out his hands. "Ana—"

"No!" Ana said, pushing him aside. Jeff lost his balance and landed in a painful heap on the floor. "I can't believe you showed up and played injured all this time so I'd take care of you. I _bathed_ you," she said. With that she turned and shoved the loaded dolly down the camper steps with little heed for its precious cargo and stalked toward the building. The camper door bounced shut behind her, leaving Jeff alone.

Jeff pounded the floor with his fist in frustration. It took him a minute to sort himself out and raise himself back to the seat, holding his aching ribs.

Had Ana, _gentle_ Ana, really pushed him down? His aching ribs answered that question for him. He really wished she hadn't thought he was faking his injuries. The dark bruises he'd had when he'd first arrived must've slipped her mind. Jeff sat, soaking in the pain for a while.

He hadn't meant to make her mad. He'd never seen her mad before. She was usually so quiet. It gave him another idea of how to help her, well, if she'd forgive him first. This time, he promised himself he'd lay it all out for her; let her make her own decision.

Well, the first step was to apologize, so unless he was planning on hiding in the camper all day with his tail tucked between his legs, he'd better get on with it.

* * *

Jeff cautiously approached the booth where Ana was busy draping her dragons on bits of driftwood arranged on a brightly colored cloth. He could see the tension in her hunched shoulders and slightly furrowed brow. She kept looking around nervously, as if she expected someone to jump out at her at any second. She spotted him as he moved closer to her booth, and he saw an instant look of relief come over her. Then she grew still, anticipating a confrontation.

Jeff spoke quickly before she could brush him off. "I'm sorry, Ana. I was mad at my brother for humiliating me and forcing me to come home, for taking my choice away, then I came here to help you and I did the same damn thing to you. I'm sorry."

Ana nodded cautiously, waiting for more explanation.

"Just so you know, my bones really are cracked. I didn't fake any injuries, though, ah, I did play them up a bit a time or two to get you out of the house," he confessed.

Ana gave him a look like he was a naughty kid, then her expression turned distressed. "I'm sorry I pushed you. I hope I did not cause you harm," she said, reaching her hand toward him, then pulling back.

Jeff just waved off her concern. "Naw, look what I do for a living. It ain't the worst bump I ever took."

Ana studied him for a moment and then seemed to come to a decision. "I can see that you had good intentions, so I will forgive you under one condition," she stated.

` "What's that?" Jeff asked suspiciously.

"You must forgive your brother," she said.

Jeff felt his jaw drop a little. "But…do you know what he did to me? He—he—_took_ away my pain killers even though he knew the kind of pain I was in, then he tossed me in the tub and _bathed_ me like I was three years old. But no, that's not the worst part. He dragged me to work like that, and he _carried_ me in to medical. In front of all the guys, all my coworkers, everyone."

Ana shrugged. "So? I helped you bathe numerous times. You did not seem to mind. Wouldn't it be worse to be seen rumpled and dirty? It sounds to me like your brother tried to minimize your embarrassment by at least making you presentable first," Ana said reasonably. "If he had given you your pain killers, you never would have allowed the doctor to see you, and you would probably have killed yourself at work by now. The human body can only take so much, Jeff."

Jeff's shoulders slumped. He couldn't deny that she was right.

"You just don't understand," Jeff complained. "I don't fit in at work. Most of the guys there are pretty old school. Most of them are just pretty old period. They think I'm some kind of drug addict because of my clothes and hair."

Ana frowned. "Why? Plenty of people dress this way. It is not uncommon." She gestured around them, indicating the masses of customers who had started to fill the aisles. Of those who were not in costume, a good portion were dressed in some form of alternative style.

Jeff perked up. He had never really seen so many different people in one place. "I tell Matt that all the time, but I don't think he believes me. I should take a picture," Jeff said, looking around with interest. "I guess we don't really get out of our little wrestling bubble that much."

"Will you forgive him?" Ana persisted.

"I guess it was inevitable, anyways," Jeff agreed. "But I'll talk to him later. I just want to enjoy this convention right now." Jeff grasped Ana's shoulder and gave it a little shake. "How about it? I won't let anything bad happen," he reassured her.

Ana nodded and threw herself into her work. The rest of the day passed quickly. Jeff was only approached a few times by fans, though he caught a lot of looks. There were so many people in costume, he was congratulated quite a few times on his authentic Jeff Hardy cosplay.


	7. Chapter 7

Knight Falls, Gold Fades

Chapter 7

Jeff stood by as Ana loaded the sole box of unsold jewelry into the back of the camper. It had been a good day. She had done well and Jeff could tell she was glad she had come.

"Hey man, you got a quarter?" a voice asked, startling Jeff out of his thoughts. A man wearing layers of coats in the summer heat stepped unsteadily toward him.

"No," Jeff said firmly. "We ain't got no quarters." He moved a bit to position himself between the man and Ana.

"Hey, man, you don't gotta be like that," the man said, continuing forward. "I just need some bus money so I can get home."

From the looks of him, Jeff seriously doubted the man had a home. His clothes clearly hadn't seen soap in ages and the man's graying hair was unkempt. As the man talked and kept coming closer, Jeff caught a glimpse of the man's eyes and knew he was in trouble. Jeff could probably stomp his balls and the man wouldn't notice. He was so hopped up on drugs that his pupils were blown wide open.

"Yeah, I, uh, got a flat tire…" the man trailed off, putting his hand on Jeff's arm.

"Hey, man, back off!" Jeff said, shoving the man back.

The man stumbled back, then with a growl, he tackled Jeff, slamming him into the side of the camper. Bands of pain wrapped around his chest and Jeff momentarily saw stars. He knew his bones were not yet up to the abuse of a fight. He had to take control of the situation.

Jeff kicked the man's legs out from under them, then grabbed his arms and pinned them behind his back.

"Ana!" he screamed hoarsely. "Get help!" Bolts of pain ran through Jeff's body as the man struggled in his grip. Ana stood frozen. "I can't hold him! Run, Ana!"

Ana flinched, then ran off into the night. Jeff held on with everything he had to give her a chance to escape, even as pain washed over him in ever increasing waves, making him light headed. Sweat ran into his eyes, and his hair had come loose, straggling into his mouth and further obscuring his vision. Jeff panted harshly with anguish, but he did not loosen his hold.

Finally, in desperation to escape, the man reared his head back, slamming into Jeff's forehead. Jeff collapsed with his face against the rough asphalt and watched blurrily as the man's boots pound into the distance. For a moment there was silence and Jeff was alone except for the lone bat squeaking as it circled overhead. Then Jeff heard footsteps pounding toward him from the direction of the convention center.

Ana cradled his head on her lap as he struggled to orient himself.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Jeff said, looking up into her anxious face. "Let's just go home."

Ana had brought the off-duty police officers who were working security for the convention with her, and they insisted on calling an ambulance for Jeff. He allowed them to look him over and check him for signs of a concussion, but he had to put his foot down when they wanted to transport him to the hospital. They didn't like it, and Jeff could see Ana frowning at him, but he was an adult and there was nothing they could do without his consent.

Jeff wanted nothing more than to go home, well, go to Ana's home, and get some rest on a mattress that was more than three inches thick without having nurses bothering him or machines beeping at him. Besides, he could see that Ana was barely holding it together and he needed to make sure she would be okay; that this little incident wasn't going to send her running back into her shell, never to leave again.

The paramedics reluctantly left and Ana helped Jeff into the camper, then sat down heavily on one of the benches. Her eyes were closed and Jeff could see that she was shaking with nerves. Abruptly, she lurched out of her seat and took the two steps to the kitchen sink just in time to empty her stomach into it. Jeff winced and rose to turn on the faucet, rinsing the mess away. He rubbed her back gently as she stared at the running water.

"I'm never going to be normal again, am I?" she rasped. "I almost lost you to some maniac today, Jeff. I'm never going to be able to leave the house without jumping at every shadow. I'm going to become one of those old ladies with fifty-seven cats and so many newspapers stacked around the house that I don't have room to walk," she said desolately.

"No, Ana, no," Jeff said, turning off the water. "I won't let that happen. Look, the world's a dangerous place. But there is so much beauty out there too. You're an artist. You know this. It's worth the pain to live in the world. You just have to learn not to fear it."

Jeff's sat his aching body back down and handed Ana a packet of crackers for her stomach as she joined him.

"But guess what? You're in luck," Jeff said with a small grin, "because you just so happen to be sitting with a gen-u-ine expert in conquering fear."

"Expert?" she asked, looking at him appraisingly. "I guess you would be. So what do you suggest?"

"Well, I was thinking since you clotheslined me earlier—" Jeff started.

"Wha? I did not!" Ana protested.

"Hush! No interrupting when the master is speaking," Jeff ordered. "As, I was saying, since you clotheslined me earlier, and then stomped me when I was down, I demand a rematch. I say you, me, my house, in the ring."

Ana's eyebrows shot up in trepidation. "Are you kidding? I can't face you in the ring!"

"Why not? You…_scared_?" Jeff asked.

"I'll get hurt!" Ana protested.

"So what?" Jeff shrugged.

"Thanks for the reassurance," Ana said dryly. "You're supposed to say, 'No, I won't hurt you.'"

"Well I don't wanna lie to you. Getting in the ring involves a certain amount of pain. But I think you're tough enough to handle it," Jeff replied. "Besides, you can't get over your fear of getting hurt by avoiding pain."

"So what you're saying is, you're gonna beat me up, and I'll, what? Just get used to it?" Ana asked skeptically.

"That's what I'm saying," Jeff said.

"Oh my God," Ana said, scooting away from him. "You're crazy."

"Now, now. It's not so crazy," Jeff said. "I'm not just gonna get you in there and whale on you. I wanna teach you a thing or two 'bout how to get yourself out of a sticky situation. You need confidence, girl! You need some fighting skills!"

"But can't you just teach me those things here? Why do we have to go all the way to North Carolina for that?" Ana asked.

"Because, I don't want you packin' it in when things get rough. You know that'd be all too easy to do if we stay on your home turf," Jeff pointed out. There was nothing Ana could argue about that, so Jeff slapped his hands on his thighs and said, "So it's settled! Now let's get the hell out of here."


	8. Chapter 8

Knight Falls, Gold Fades

Chapter 8

When Jeff awoke the next morning, something in the air just felt different. Ana was nowhere in sight, and when he poked his head out the door, the quiet rumble of voices coming from downstairs let him know that they had company. Jeff limped his way to the bathroom to get cleaned up, wanting to hurry and get downstairs to see who was there.

Ana and Anani's house wasn't like his or his brother's homes. In North Carolina, Jeff and Matt always had constant streams of friends visiting, but in all the weeks Jeff had been staying with the Karaya sisters, they had only had company once or twice. There house was generally quiet, like a retreat from the outside world. A visitor, this early in the morning, definitely roused his curiosity.

Jeff was definitely moving more slowly than the day before, try as he might to hurry. He carefully twisted his body this way and that as he brushed his teeth, trying to survey the damage. His little run in with a crazy bum the night before had definitely set his recovery back, but none of his injuries felt too much worse, so hopefully the fight hadn't done too much new damage.

Jeff hurriedly pulled a wet brush through his blue hair and wrapped it in a quick bun behind his head, then grabbed his cane and headed for the stairs. He still hated the damn thing, but he needed it in the mornings, and especially on the stairs, so there wasn't much he could do about it. As he got closer to the kitchen, the rumbling voice took on a familiar timbre, and Jeff was dumbfounded to see his brother having coffee with Ana and Anani. It was like two completely separate worlds colliding. Matt fell silent as he caught sight of Jeff in the doorway.

"What are you doing here?" Jeff blurted out in confusion. Matt watched him closely, assessing his condition as he entered the kitchen slowly, leaning heavily on his cane. Jeff lowered himself carefully to sit across from Matt at the kitchen table. Matt just looked at him for a long moment, as if searching his face for something, before finally speaking.

"Ana called me last night; told me what happened," Matt answered. "Are you okay?"

Jeff looked at Ana, who stared boldly back. "What, you thought only you and Anani could play that game? Now talk to your brother," she ordered. She turned to tug on Anani's shoulder. "Let's give them some privacy."

Anani, who was avidly observing the tension between Matt and Jeff, turned to her sister and frowned. "But—" she protested, not wanting to miss the fireworks.

"Let's go," Ana said, indicating the back door with her head. "Don't worry; you won't miss out on the drama. We have things of our own to discuss." Anani looked surprised at the hard tone in Ana's voice, and meekly followed her sister to the back yard, leaving Matt and Jeff alone.

Matt breathed a sigh of relief when they left. "Ana's okay, but that Anani gives me the heebie-jeebies. I kept getting the feeling she was looking right through me." He shuddered dramatically, then turned back to Jeff.

"Yeah, you don't wanna cross that one. Ana says her sister's a bruja," Jeff said.

What's that?" Matt asked.

"A witch," Jeff answered, baring his teeth. "I think she was serious."

"Whoa, shit," Matt said. "Nice friends you make, Jeff."

"Yeah, they have been pretty nice," Jeff said, ignoring his brother's sarcasm. "They've done a lot for me, taking me in even though they barely knew me, taking care of me when I couldn't move."

"Yeah, but what do they want out of you," Matt asked suspiciously. "And why couldn't you just stay home? We got plenty of friends who could've helped you out."

Jeff turned away and watched Ana and her sister argue in the back yard. There was definitely some arm waving and finger pointing going on, though he couldn't hear what they were saying.

"There was no one to help me out at home," Jeff said, still not meeting his brother's eyes. "I spent three miserable days alone at home. Plenty of people called to see how I was doing, but everyone was suddenly too busy to come give me a hand, or even a bit of company. You think any of your 'core group' were going to help me out of bed in the morning? Help me shower? Help me on and off the toilet?"

"They did all that for you?" Matt asked.

Jeff nodded. "After three days, I got a letter from Anani saying that Anacaona was in bad shape over what had happened, so I came up here to see if I could help. I was going to stay at a hotel, but when they saw the shape I was in, they wouldn't hear of it. I think it's like a cultural thing or something. I saved Ana, so I'm like family now. They don't turn their back on family."

"Is that what you think I did?" Matt asked, his shoulders slumping.

Jeff sighed, "No, man. I was pretty pissed off at the time, but I get it now. We're cool." Jeff held out his fists and Matt bumped his knuckles.

"Oh, shit!" Jeff said, noticing Ana and Anani rolling around in the back yard, trying to beat the crap out of each other. He tried to jump up, but only succeeded in knocking his chair over, getting tangled in the legs, and going down himself. Matt hesitated, torn between helping him up and breaking up the fight. "Go! Stop them!" Jeff ordered, pointing outside.

Matt ran out and yanked them apart. By the time Jeff made it outside, they were straightening themselves out as they stared at each other, breathing heavily.

Anani narrowed her eyes and pointed her pinkie and pointer finger at Ana. "You will—" She was cut off as Matt clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Now, now," Matt said. "You don't want to do something you'll regret—like laying a curse on your sister." Anani stared at him in shock, but held her tongue when he removed his hand.

"So now you're going to curse me? Just because I said something you don't like? That is precisely what I was talking about," Ana said. "You are dangerous, Anani. You need to get a hold of yourself."

Anani looked shaken by what she'd almost done, but she didn't back down. "If you would just tell me what happened to you, I could fix it for you," Anani said with frustration. "Then you could be yourself again."

"Life doesn't work that way! You can't just 'fix' my problems for me," Ana said. "Look, you're right; something happened and it changed me, but it can't be undone. It might not be possible for me to go back to who I was."

"I could make you forget…" Anani pleaded.

"No! God, what is wrong with you?" Ana shouted. "Stay out of my head or I swear, you are dead to me. I just need to deal with this my own way."

"Your own way? What's that? Hiding in the house?" Anani shot back.

It was clearly deteriorating into a shouting match, so Jeff decided he'd better step in before they came to blows again.

"Okay, everyone just hold it," Jeff broke in. "Why don't you two go inside and get something to drink, and give me and Anani a chance to talk." Ana looked like she wanted to protest, but she just nodded and headed inside. Matt followed, looking distinctly relieved.

Jeff moved to sit on the porch swing, and after a moment, Anani followed. They sat in silence for a while until Anani had calmed down some.

"I've helped her as much as I can here," he started. "It's too easy for her to hide herself away here, so I'm taking her home with me." She listened quietly as he explained his theories about facing the fear of getting hurt, and his vague plan to help Ana.

"It sounds like it could help," Anani agreed. "But you must promise me you will not allow Ana to be hurt."

Jeff shook his head. "I don't want to make promises I can't keep. I'll tell you what I told your sister. The world's a dangerous place, and there's a certain amount of risk involved in everything. I won't let anything bad happen to her if I can help it. But how about you? Will you be alright here on your own?"

"Yes, I think my sister and I need some time apart to clear our heads."

* * *

When they returned to the house, Jeff was surprised to see Ana waiting by the front door with her bags packed.

"Are you ready to go?" Ana asked him impatiently.

"No, we're not leaving like this," Jeff said. "I need a hot shower before I'm in any shape for a road trip, and you and your sister need to make up." Ana didn't look happy with his answer, but she had no choice to accept it.


	9. Chapter 9

Knight Falls, Gold Fades

Chapter 9

In the end, Matt agreed to drive Jeff's truck back to North Carolina while Ana followed in her camper. Jeff took turns riding with each of them, grateful he didn't have to do the driving. He was still sore from his run in with the crazy guy the night before, and he had a lingering headache from the head-butt he'd received. All-in-all though, he wasn't doing too badly. The most minor of his injuries, his fingers, shin, and collarbone, had healed up nicely, and only his ribs and heel gave him too much problems anymore.

Jeff probably could've used another few days before returning home, but he really didn't want Ana and her sister to have a serious falling out. He didn't know what words they'd exchanged while he was in the shower, but before they'd left, he'd seen them hugging and wiping their eyes, so he took it as a good sign. Now he found himself with Ana for the first leg of the journey.

"Jeff, whatever you do, Anani must never know what happened. I know you don't believe that brujeria is real, but she could cause so much harm if she knew. She'd find them, and she'd hurt them," Ana told him.

"So, she can really—?" Jeff stopped, unsure of what to say.

"She has some power, yes," Ana answered.

"What about you?" Jeff asked.

"Do I have power? It runs in our family," Ana said shrugging. "I could if I wanted it, but I don't. Things like that tend to take over your life. If you open the door to the spirits, they will hound you."

"I'm not into that kind of thing, though," she continued. "This world's dangerous enough without adding the spirit world into the mix. The spirit world's like twice as dangerous. I prefer my fantasy world with dragons and knights, where the danger's nice and fake. But let's not talk about this. I don't want to draw their attention…I hope you don't think I'm crazy now."

"Well, no crazier than most people," Jeff teased.

"Ha, ha," Ana said dryly. "Whether you believe or not, the danger is real. Anani is a good person, but she can be dangerous. Promise me you will never tell her what happened."

"I promise," Jeff said soberly. He could tell it was important to her. He didn't really believe in brujeria, but all kinds of people believed all kinds of things. Who was he to judge? Besides, he'd seen strange things a time or two in his life; things he couldn't explain, so her 'spirit world' was as good an explanation as any.

Jeff switched to ride with his brother for a while after they stopped at a rest stop. He steeled himself for another uncomfortable conversation, and was not disappointed.

"Are you sure you want to bring her home with you?" Matt just came right out and asked.

"She needs me," Jeff answered simply.

"Why don't she just let her sister put a spell on her or something? Then she could stay home where she belongs and we can get back to our lives. Our nice, normal lives that don't include witches," Matt couldn't resist adding.

"Matt, you have to swear to me that you will never let Ana's sister know what happened," Jeff said, ignoring Matt's insults for now.

"What do I care?" Matt asked.

"It's important to Ana, so it's important to me," Jeff answered. "Swear it."

"Fine, I swear I'll never let her know," Matt said. "You know, the guys will never accept her. I bet none of them have witches running around in their families. She's a nice kid, but she's not our kind and you know it. "

"Why should I give a fuck what they think? Where were they when I needed help? _Busy_, that's where," Jeff pointed out calmly. "You really think I'm just going to throw her away after everything we've been through together? You're crazy."

"So you're sleeping with her?" Matt asked.

"No," Jeff answered shortly. "We're just friends."

"So you won't mind if I set her up with someone else?" Matt asked.

"Why would you do that? 'She's not our kind,' remember?" Jeff asked.

"If she had someone else, she wouldn't be your problem anymore," Matt pointed out.

"She's not a _problem_ to me. Don't you dare play games with her," Jeff said grimly. "She's mine."

"What the hell's that supposed to mean?" Matt asked.

"I love her," Jeff said. Then he sat back and closed his eyes and refused to answer any more questions, leaving Matt to stew in frustration.

* * *

Jeff spent the last leg of the journey with Ana, and this time the atmosphere was much less tense, and they were able to have a much more relaxed conversation. That was what Matt didn't understand. Ana brought him peace. He knew Matt thought Ana was too dependent on him, but Matt didn't seem to see that he depended on her just as much.

It was no secret that Jeff didn't really fit in in the locker room. It wasn't because he didn't try, either. He got along with the guys alright, but try as he might, something just seemed to set him apart. It made life on the road lonelier than it had to be.

Traveling all the time was harder than he'd thought it'd be. There was just something about those nondescript hotel rooms he stayed in every night that could suck the soul right out of you. Jeff's imagination ranged far and wide, and it just seemed to him that his surroundings should reflect that. There was no room for personalizing his surroundings, just an endless sea of beige carpets and ugly bedspreads. There was only one outlet for rainbow of color he felt and it burst through in his clothing and hair.

Matt didn't have that problem, so he just didn't understand, but Jeff needed more stability in his life to keep him grounded. Otherwise, he was afraid one day he's just go off the deep end and lose all contact with reality. Ana was like the answer to his prayers.

"We're home," Jeff said, as his house came into view.

_Author's note: Keep on the lookout for the follow up, __Knight's Strength, Flower's Thorns__._


End file.
